The public is invited to get into the holiday spirit Friday with a performance by local Christian band Serving 6.

The Appling-based Christian band, made up of Curt and Cindy Biggar and their children Calie Cook and Christopher, Joshua and Jeremy Biggar, will return to the area with their annual holiday concert, Christmas in Georgia.

“We do it every year. This is the first time in two years we’ve done it here in Augusta,” said Cook, who also is a Columbia County marketing manager. “It’s just a way to give back to the community.”

Christmas shopping is in full force and shoppers are busy marking items off their holiday lists.

But one thing sure to ruin that holiday spirit is becoming a criminal’s target.

Columbia County sheriff’s deputies are busy protecting shoppers as they search for the perfect gift.

“Members of our Special Operations Unit will be conducting surveillance and extra patrols will be assigned to monitor business establishments to help ensure that everyone has a safe and enjoyable shopping experience,” sheriff’s Capt. Steve Morris said.

Lakeside High School students will be changing classrooms a little more frequently in the spring semester.

The installation of a new heating and air conditioning system for the school means that portions of the school will be closed in phases over the next six months, according to Tim Beatty, the director of facilties for Columbia County schools.

As each section closes to allow for construction, students and faculty will have to move to different classrooms. Beatty said to accommodate those moves, 10 portable classroom units were moved to the Lakeside campus this week.

After 12 weeks of training and testing, 50 soldiers from Fort Gordon got a much- needed break Thursday evening. They were looking forward to leaving the Army post, but many didn’t know exactly where they were going.

“I had no idea what was coming,” said Pvt. First Class Elise Donhardt, of Illinois. “I didn’t know until I got here that it was a singing Christmas tree.”

The following accounts were taken from Columbia County Sheriff’s Office incident reports:

Waterworks sign broken

A Columbia County Water Utility manager called authorities Monday after discovering someone broke the digital sign at the new administrative offices.

The manager said she arrived at work at about 9:45 a.m. and noticed the digital sign in front of the offices at 2140 William Few Parkway wasn’t working. She said she found holes in several parts of the $45,000 sign.

A Columbia County judge agreed to release a Grovetown man accused of bilking more than $1 million from his employer.

At a Tuesday hearing in Evans, Magistrate Judge Bobby Christine allowed Christopher Joseph Pizzi, 52, to be released from jail on his own recognizance and be monitored by GPS. The bond requires no cash or property.

Pizzi, who is charged with racketeering, is accused of stealing more than $1 million from Gearig Brothers Civil Works. The company specializes in site development for residential, commercial and government construction.